Croatian footballers Dejan Lovren and Marcelo Brozovic marked their bronze medals from the World Cup in Qatar with a private celebration in Zagreb.
At that gathering, some attendees sang songs tied to a controversial musical figure, and supporters saluted with a national slogan often associated with historical nationalist groups. The event drew mixed reactions due to its political associations.
In the tournament, Croatia reached the semifinals but fell to the eventual champions, the Argentina national team, by 3-0. Croatia then faced Morocco in the third-place match, securing a 2-1 victory. Zlatko Dalic’s squad benefited from goals from Josko Guardiol and Mislav Orsic in that match.
Lovren appeared in six World Cup matches and contributed one assist during the tournament run.
The 2018 World Cup in Russia had its own controversy when a Croatian player participated in a chant later criticized as nationalist, following a quarterfinal victory over Russia.
Historically, there have been various discussions about how players and causes are portrayed during major international events, and this has continued to be a topic of public attention within Croatia and among supporters abroad.
Overall, the Croatian national team’s World Cup campaign left fans with memorable moments on the field and sparked ongoing conversations off it.